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Sarah Essam hopes to encourage other Egyptian women to play football professionally. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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Sarah Essam, the first Arab female footballer in Europe, is now compared with her favourite Egyptian footballer, Mo Salah. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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Sarah Essam plays for Stoke City's women's team in England. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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Last season, Sarah Essam was given two Player of the Match awards. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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She was the top scorer in the English Women's National League last season. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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She also won the Golden Boot for scoring 12 goals in 12 matches last season. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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She won the Arab Woman of the Year: Achievement in Sport award from the London Arab Foundation in 2018. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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She has had to work incredibly hard to get where she is and achieve a career in professional football. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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But it's paying off: she was invited to comment on matches during the 2019 Women's World Cup in France by the BBC. Courtesy Sarah Essam
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Sarah Essam hopes to encourage other Egyptian women to play football professionally. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/EKF6WEBFSS7VO2PA7MYQA43IBQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=98b927ec6998e4684f96fcc1d2791c4e3d155589db65fd1019897d58db5351f6&width=400&height=225)
Sarah Essam, the first Arab female footballer in Europe, is now compared with her favourite Egyptian footballer, Mo Salah. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/LJQZGNE7N5F2ZR7MYN3OZTJRKI.jpg?smart=true&auth=fb5ba291f87f67a4dcc7b3f62be9cd2ea313309cc3acf8f1d1be13e05d15cb18&width=400&height=225)
Sarah Essam plays for Stoke City's women's team in England. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/U7RD5QWXFYIGNNAXTG3RS7SQHQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=63421066ed4bf0853e802aa0b5678fefe42429a6d312e7650959182da0c80dea&width=400&height=225)
Last season, Sarah Essam was given two Player of the Match awards. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HM2GWTXC4R6IB3CDIMOPUVJDIU.jpg?smart=true&auth=c2ad9d3da85458e5e382404f73e7ef46002df2a9ecef99db126cc44182bd6a33&width=400&height=225)
She was the top scorer in the English Women's National League last season. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/AMWRUKWODYRTPBLZWT3Z4B7MLY.jpg?smart=true&auth=8400b119681ef6c7e301086ab5cd96950ca099a6dbd2e700e6df6954ad3a3308&width=400&height=225)
She also won the Golden Boot for scoring 12 goals in 12 matches last season. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3Q4GGV5MRBPFILPDMZU2SPOK3M.jpg?smart=true&auth=6a42506131a81c9e9ce49787856e2f26a38cd2ced751f3ce4bb6b8311e2d123a&width=400&height=225)
She won the Arab Woman of the Year: Achievement in Sport award from the London Arab Foundation in 2018. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/IIVTJKT5PDS2DKEPNXFNOQNQX4.jpg?smart=true&auth=513f5057cb9e6ddd5010db0016a8cf1f3c7f32b4ba2d6a4582db3479b5bdd770&width=400&height=225)
She has had to work incredibly hard to get where she is and achieve a career in professional football. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NYYXKYKXVQMN2NTE6HHIKK3WMA.jpg?smart=true&auth=48bd8a415922b1899805ac746761203e621379989ec5a830a37e68ec2dda03c5&width=400&height=225)
But it's paying off: she was invited to comment on matches during the 2019 Women's World Cup in France by the BBC. Courtesy Sarah Essam
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/KWNJJWXX7SZ7S4W47NSGR4PQ3M.jpg?smart=true&auth=6fee8d7fa68041d1a87af645c89685718b02c5bcfa3a274694fc4b16a488ee4e&width=400&height=225)
Sarah Essam hopes to encourage other Egyptian women to play football professionally. Courtesy Sarah Essam
Move over Mo Salah: Sarah Essam makes a case for her place in Egyptian football royalty
As the first and only Arab female footballer playing the sport professionally in Europe, Egyptian athlete Sarah Essam is breaking boundaries from afar, finds Ali Khaled
Ali Khaled
24 October, 2019
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